Radio Silent: The Rise in Streaming Apps

Article Contributed by Monica Soriano

A collage of top music streaming apps.

More and more people are tuning into streaming apps like Spotify or Apple Music, rather than turning on the radio. It has become the norm to pair up the streaming apps to cars, TVs, and every device you can listen to music from. It’s easier to pay a monthly fee to avoid commercials, know exactly what you will be listening to, skip a track, or add it to your personal playlist. The accessibility that comes with streaming apps has made it so that radio is no longer holding the power or audience it used to. With the rise of streaming, the audience moving on from radio can be bittersweet, as radio has been around for over a century. 

Over 100 Years of Radio

The radio was a significant milestone in the world for communication purposes and the media. Something that was limited to transmitting Morse codes or political messages became a source of entertainment for the majority of households. Jazz, Classical, Blues, and Country music were some of the first genres to be broadcast on the radio and later expanded to what we know today - multiple stations, talk shows, and ever-evolving genres. Its popularity expanded throughout the 1900s, so much so that it cemented a segment in history called The Golden Age of Radio, which lasted from the 1920s to the 1950s. The rich history of radio is important to the world because it provided live entertainment to people and thus contributed to what the music industry is today.

The Streaming Takeover

It’s no surprise that we are where we are today with music. The continuous evolution of technology affected the industry and thus led to the popularization of streaming apps. In the late 1990s, the first streaming website, Napster, was introduced and opened the gates for what was to come. YouTube, the iPod, Soundcloud, Limewire, and more contributed to the way we listen to music today and how accessible it is. Whether through legal or illegal means, it was clear that society wanted music to be individually curated to meet every person's individual taste. The ability to download music and have it at your fingertips makes streaming apps all the more enticing. Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music are among the most popular apps today.

Radio vs. Streaming Apps - For Artists

While radio is still a valuable form of entertainment, it does have to compete with streaming. There are now apps for radio stations and streaming apps that have their own radio-like shows or podcasts; in a way, it is all intertwining. But where does all of this leave artists? Although streaming makes artists more visible and attainable, there is a big dispute within the industry about pay. It is undeniable that they don’t make what is considered a fair amount. Radio (in the U.S.), on the other hand, primarily pays the songwriter and publisher royalties; therefore, if the artist is not credited, they won’t make much money or any. In short, there doesn’t seem to be a true competition between radio and streaming when it comes to compensating the artists fairly. They both promote the artists and allow visibility to different audiences. The thing about streaming apps is that they seem to have an easier time catering to music fans. For example, Spotify’s Wrapped campaign allows listeners to see a short summary of their most listened to genres, songs, and artists. That is where the rise in streaming apps is undebatably valuable to artists. 

We might not see radio die out fully within this lifetime, but it does continue to decline in popularity while striving to stay afloat. It’s amazing how much history was made known to the world through radio and how much it influenced the music industry. While we don’t know how Radio will continue to keep relevance against streaming apps, we can fully appreciate the imprint it leaves behind.